First female infantry SgtMaj USMC 1/4

[TLDR20]

I was in 2/6 post Vietnam. Our Bn SgtMaj had two Purple Hearts and a CAR. The military now has to provide a process for gender transition for service members; so putting an electrician in an infantry leadership position is baby school.

Well the way I understand it, it has nothing to do with gender transition, and much more to the fact that the MOS changes for Sergeants Majors in the corps. Therefore the previous MOS is irrelevant as their MOS is now SMAJ.

It seems like a pretty fucking stupid thing to do, but all Marines are riflemen, so I guess, all E-9’s are equal.

 

[Devildoc]

Well the way I understand it, it has nothing to do with gender transition, and much more to the fact that the MOS changes for Sergeants Majors in the corps. Therefore the previous MOS is irrelevant as their MOS is now SMAJ.

It seems like a pretty fucking stupid thing to do, but all Marines are riflemen, so I guess, all E-9’s are equal.

Yes, they have a whole different, specific-unto-them MOS for Sgt Maj (interestingly, the same MOS is also applied to first sergeant, E8). I do not get how they 'get there' with no (or little) experience with type of unit to which they are assigned. Makes no sense to me. Unless they presume it's about being the HMFIC's second hand and administrative with no in-the-field responsibility, but even then for me it's a stretch of logic.

When my dad retired from the Marines, he made the list for E9 (Master Gunnery Sgt), but he would have stayed in his field (intel).

 

[Gunz]

Yes, they have a whole different, specific-unto-them MOS for Sgt Maj (interestingly, the same MOS is also applied to first sergeant, E8). I do not get how they 'get there' with no (or little) experience with type of unit to which they are assigned. Makes no sense to me. Unless they presume it's about being the HMFIC's second hand and administrative with no in-the-field responsibility, but even then for me it's a stretch of logic.

When my dad retired from the Marines, he made the list for E9 (Master Gunnery Sgt), but he would have stayed in his field (intel).

I’m probably wrong, but I always understood it that infantry MOS’s would be SgtMaj E9s and non-infantry would be Master Gunnery Sgt E9s.

 

[Devildoc]

I’m probably wrong, but I always understood it that infantry MOS’s would be SgtMaj E9s and non-infantry would be Master Gunnery Sgt E9s.

That's how I understood it; I found my MOS info using google, so I cannot attest to its veracity.

 

[CryptoLingUSMC]

Marine Gunnery Sergeants decide whether they want to be considered for promotion to Master Sergeant or First Sergeant. Master Sergeants remain in their MOS and are MOS SMEs. First Sergeants receive a new MOS and can be assigned to any unit. They focus on maintaining general Marine Corps standards that are not MOS-specific. Master Sergeants promote to Master Gunnery Sergeants and First Sergeants promote to Sergeants Major. Both serve as Senior Enlisted Advisors to a commander but have their own specific lanes.

This female SgtMaj can't really do any damage. The MGySgts and Marine Gunners run the Marine Corps Infantry.

 

[Cookie_]

Marine Gunnery Sergeants decide whether they want to be considered for promotion to Master Sergeant or First Sergeant. Master Sergeants remain in their MOS and are MOS SMEs. First Sergeants receive a new MOS and can be assigned to any unit. They focus on maintaining general Marine Corps standards that are not MOS-specific. Master Sergeants promote to Master Gunnery Sergeants and First Sergeants promote to Sergeants Major. Both serve as Senior Enlisted Advisors to a commander but have their own specific lanes.

This female SgtMaj can't really do any damage. The MGySgts and Marine Gunners run the Marine Corps Infantry.

My coworker was just explaining this to me, as best he remembered it.

Am I understanding that there are E8 MSG slots at the company level to act as SME? That makes the 1SG being MOS immaterial less of a concern if so.

 

[CryptoLingUSMC]

.

 

[AWP]

The Marines are built different, and I get that, so this probably nullifies my argument. This is probably where the Marines tell me to get fucked out of their AO.

Anywho, I still still struggle with a leadership position, at least at the Regimental level, that doesn't hold that Regiment's predominant MOS. Past that level? Sure. The smaller the unit, it is as much about leadership as it is nuance. That SgtMaj will understand their Marines a lot better if they are from the same community. They would, I'd like to think, be less likely to drop the hammer on a dumbass Lance Coolie if both are from the same world. As you get to the BN level, this becomes more important.

The same, but not, are situations where hospital management doesn't come from doctors or nurses. I've had IT directors who were MBA's, not nerds. If you're from a tribe/ community then you can appreciate and understand that community's problems better than an outsider regardless of rank. These are civilian examples, but I cannot believe this doesn't apply to every service.

The SgtMaj or whatever he was from Generation Kill raving about a "moos-tash" is a great example. Wasn't he from outside of Recon? Wouldn't a career Recon Marine approach the same topic from a different angle?

Eh, not my world and certainly something I can't change. Semper gumby, Marines. Keep doing what you do regardless of who is yelling at you for no damn reason at all.

Edit: the above video was posted as I typed. "Great minds" and all?

 

[Devildoc]

The Marines are built different, and I get that, so this probably nullifies my argument. This is probably where the Marines tell me to get fucked out of their AO.

Anywho, I still still struggle with a leadership position, at least at the Regimental level, that doesn't hold that Regiment's predominant MOS. Past that level? Sure. The smaller the unit, it is as much about leadership as it is nuance. That SgtMaj will understand their Marines a lot better if they are from the same community. They would, I'd like to think, be less likely to drop the hammer on a dumbass Lance Coolie if both are from the same world. As you get to the BN level, this becomes more important.

The same, but not, are situations where hospital management doesn't come from doctors or nurses. I've had IT directors who were MBA's, not nerds. If you're from a tribe/ community then you can appreciate and understand that community's problems better than an outsider regardless of rank. These are civilian examples, but I cannot believe this doesn't apply to every service.

The SgtMaj or whatever he was from Generation Kill raving about a "moos-tash" is a great example. Wasn't he from outside of Recon? Wouldn't a career Recon Marine approach the same topic from a different angle?

Eh, not my world and certainly something I can't change. Semper gumby, Marines. Keep doing what you do regardless of who is yelling at you for no damn reason at all.

Edit: the above video was posted as I typed. "Great minds" and all?

This, this I can speak to. Most hospitals have a boss, a singular boss, CEO or whatever, and his/her creds could be MD/RN/MBA, whatever. More importantly is that his/her circle includes a chief medical officer, a chief nursing officer, and a handful of others who do double duty of being HMFIC of that community and senior advisor to the CEO (president, whatever).

The Marines are definitely different with the split at E8 and E9; throw in the warrants plus Gunner (who is a chief, but not all chiefs are Gunners). I would argue that the Gunner is THE singularly most important advisor to the CO, especially over SgtMaj.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

I’m going to remain skeptical that she is the best qualified for this particular role.
Her LinkedIn page is peppered with “Diversity“ comments, which funny…is not mentioned in her bio.


I try to be more evolved…I genuinely do. But in this particular hire I cannot help but go back to my OP in this thread and channel my inner Harry Callahan and question a number of things about this hire.

Which is what it is, a hire. The military is so much like a corporate entity now that I hesitate to even bother using the the term ‘Promotion on Merit’ anymore.

Sorry…not sorry.

 

[Teufel]

My coworker was just explaining this to me, as best he remembered it.

Am I understanding that there are E8 MSG slots at the company level to act as SME? That makes the 1SG being MOS immaterial less of a concern if so.

Yeah it's basically a divide and conquer approach. The SgtMaj and the 1Sgt focus on admin and leadership. Stuff like the legal system, awards, promotions etc. Each battalion and company will also have a senior enlisted Marine from that MOS field. They deal with tactics and leadership. We also have warrant officers who also advise commanders. Some are the NBC officers who often exist to fill out the night watch in the COC. Others are infantry weapons officers, called gunners, who have to be an E7 with over 16 years in service before applying to the warrant officer program. Everyone tends to listen when they talk. It works out pretty well most of the time as long as people recognize their strengths and purpose.

 

[Teufel]

I was in 2/6 post Vietnam. Our Bn SgtMaj had two Purple Hearts and a CAR. The military now has to provide a process for gender transition for service members; so putting an electrician in an infantry leadership position is baby school.

My unit has a Marine transitioning genders. One, it turns out there is a checklist for everything. Two, everyone has been really supportive and it really hasn't caused any friction at the unit. I think our young Marines are more accepting of this than older generations. At the end of the day, we are governed by policy and regulations, not emotions and opinions, so we will charlie mike on this requirement like everything else we are given.

 

[Gunz]

My unit has a Marine transitioning genders. One, it turns out there is a checklist for everything. Two, everyone has been really supportive and it really hasn't caused any friction at the unit. I think our young Marines are more accepting of this than older generations. At the end of the day, we are governed by policy and regulations, not emotions and opinions, so we will charlie mike on this requirement like everything else we are given.

Yes sir, I was just making an observation, not necessarily a criticism. If the military has an open-minded policy about things like serious life-changes then MOS issues are insignificant.

 

[Chopstick]

Comments from civilian corner regarding SgtMajor Audu: Did she use a filter for that photo? Will she have time for that amount of makeup on deployment? I don't expect any answer, just thinking outloud.

 

[Devildoc]

Yeah it's basically a divide and conquer approach. The SgtMaj and the 1Sgt focus on admin and leadership. Stuff like the legal system, awards, promotions etc. Each battalion and company will also have a senior enlisted Marine from that MOS field. They deal with tactics and leadership. We also have warrant officers who also advise commanders. Some are the NBC officers who often exist to fill out the night watch in the COC. Others are infantry weapons officers, called gunners, who have to be an E7 with over 16 years in service before applying to the warrant officer program. Everyone tends to listen when they talk. It works out pretty well most of the time as long as people recognize their strengths and purpose.

One of my favorite Marines was a Gunner, just cool as hell, super chill, smartest man in any room, had a degree in civil engineering. When he talked people listened, E1-O6.

 

[Marauder06]

Comments from civilian corner regarding SgtMajor Audu: Did she use a filter for that photo? Will she have time for that amount of makeup on deployment? I don't expect any answer, just thinking outloud.

However much time she spent on that, she needs to re-invest into a remedial writing class. That bio is garbage.

 

[Marauder06]

My unit has a Marine transitioning genders. One, it turns out there is a checklist for everything. Two, everyone has been really supportive and it really hasn't caused any friction at the unit. I think our young Marines are more accepting of this than older generations. At the end of the day, we are governed by policy and regulations, not emotions and opinions, so we will charlie mike on this requirement like everything else we are given.

Well stated.

However, I opine that recent policies and regulation are overly-influenced by emotions and (political) opinions, to the detriment of the overall force.

 

[Devildoc]

However much time she spent on that, she needs to re-invest into a remedial writing class. That bio is garbage.

I think esteemed colleague @AWP pointed it out, how does one write so poorly who has had that much higher education? I mean,grad school is ALL about writing. If someone else did it, they need to be fired.

 

[AWP]

I think esteemed colleague @AWP

Sir, I thank you for this and I too enjoy day drinking.

 

[Devildoc]

Sir, I thank you for this and I too enjoy day drinking.

Day drinking is the one thing that keeps me out of jail and other people alive.